Charles of Valois

Charles, Count of Valois (12 March 1270-16 December 1325) was the first Count of Valois from 1284 to 1325, preceding Philip VI of France, his own son.

Biography
Charles was born on 12 March 1270, the son of King Philip III of France and Isabella of Aragon, Queen of France. Charles was quite greedy and only moderately intelligent, and he amassed principalities for his realm. In 1290, he became the Count of Anjou due to his marriage to Countess Margaret of Anjou, the eldest daughter of Charles II of Naples, and he became a relative of many monarchs; he was the son, brother, brother-in-law, son-in-law, and uncle of the kings of France, Navarre, England, and Naples. In 1285, he was recognized as King of Aragon by the Pope due to his claim inherited through his mother, rivalling Pere III of Aragon, who was an enemy of the papacy after his conquest of Sicily; he was embarrassed when he was crowned with a cardinal's cap, as Pere III held the Aragonese crown. King Philip III declared the Aragonese Crusade against Aragon to enforce Charles' claim, but the "King of the Cap" Charles (nicknamed as such because of his coronation) would not gain the kingdom.

In 1297, Charles displayed his good command skills while campaigning in Flanders, and the Holy Roman Empire made him an imperial vicar in Italy. Charles aided Charles II of Naples against Frederick II of Sicily, and a massacre at Florence, mismanagement of finances, and looting in Sicily led to him having a poor reputation and being sent home. When Albert I of Germany was murdered in 1308, he renewed his ambitions of becoming Holy Roman Emperor, but Henry of the House of Luxembourg was elected instead of him. Charles opposed Jacques de Molay's torture in 1314, and he was upset once more when his nephew became Philip V of France rather than Charles becoming king. In 1324, he took Guyenne and Flanders from Edward II of England in the War of Saint-Sardos, and he died a year later, having failed in his ambitions to become a king.